Fall theater seasons announced

PROFILES SETS SEASON: Profiles Theatre, the exceptionally successful storefront operation at 447 N. Broadway, recently wound up a complete season devoted to plays by Neil LaBute. Now it is gearing up to celebrate the 2008-2009 season -- its 20th anniversary -- with five new plays by contemporary writers. Included will be:

--- "Men of Tortuga" (Oct. 3-Dec. 7), Chicago-based playwright Jason Wells' dark comedy of conspiracy, assassination and terror in which three men scheme with a weapons specialist. The play, first seen as part of Steppenwolf Theatre's 2005 edition of First Look Repertory of New Work, will be directed by Steppenwolf's Rick Snyder and feature Darrell W. Cox, Eric Burgher, Jack McCabe and Fred Wellisch.

--- "The Thugs" (Oct. 25-Dec. 14), the Midwest premiere of Adam Bock's dark comedy, previously seen at New York's Soho Rep. Set among the temp work force at a big law firm, the play will be directed by Joe Jahraus and feature Somer Benson and Tyler Gray.

--- "Great Falls" (Jan. 9-Mar. 1, 2009), the Midwest premiere of Lee Blessing's road-trip-style play about a stepfather and his teenage stepdaughter traveling through the American West. The play had its world premiere at the Humana Festival in Louisville this year. Jahraus will direct Cox and Allison Torem.

--- "The Wonderful World of Dissocia" (Mar. 20-May 10, 2009), the U.S premiere of Anthony Neilson's play which already has been lauded at the Edinburgh International Festival and London's Royal Court Theatre. It's the story of a woman in search of one lost hour that tipped the balance in her life. Cox will direct Burgher, Jahraus and Benson.

--- "Graceland" (May 22-June 28, 2008), the world premiere of Chicago-based playwright Ellen Fairey's comedy-drama about self-destruction, longing and high-speed jets. Matt Miller will direct.

Tickets: (773) 549-1815.

CENTER EAST LINEUP:

Eclecticism is the name of the game at Skokie's Center East Theatre, the producing organization at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd. Here's the mix-and-match entertainment menu planned for the 2008-2009 season:

--- Oct. 25: Israel's fabled singer, Dudu Fisher (who played Jean Valjean in the Israeli version of "Les Miserables" in the late 1980s), returns with a multi-media musical presentation.

--- Nov. 1: "Defending the Caveman," Rob Becker's goofy and funny one-person play about the gender gap.

--- Nov. 15: Susie Essman, of HBO'S "Curb Your Enthusiasm," in an evening of sharp comedy not for the easily offended.

--- Dec. 27 and 28: Mandy Patinkin in Concert: The inimitable Broadway and tv star with his unrivaled piano accompanist, Paul Ford.

--- Dec. 13 and 14: Civic Ballet of Chicago in "The Nutcracker."

--- Jan. 8: Elvis Birthday Tribute ("The King" would be turning 74), featuring multiple tribute artists.

--- Jan. 22, 24, 25: Capitol Steps, in a satirical show that will pick up on whoever the new president might be.

--- Jan. 31 and Feb. 1: The Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats in "Cirque d'Or."

--- Feb. 14: Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, the sensational contemporary dance troupe in its Centre East debut.

--- Feb. 21: "I Love You, You're Perfect... Now Change," the zesty musical revue about relationships.

--- Feb. 28: "School House Rock Live!," the high-spirited little musical that spins off the popular 1970s Saturday morning cartoon series.

--- Mar. 14: "Get Back! The Cast of Beatlemania," for all those with Fab Four retro longings.

--- April 18: River North Chicago Dance Company, the high-energy contemporary dance troupe.

--- April 19: "Junie B. Jones," TheatreworksUSA's musical staging of Barbara Park's beloved children's books.

--- April 21-23: Jackie Mason, in what is being billed as his "final one-man show."

--- May 9: "The Rat Pack is Back," a musical tribute to the other fab four -- Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop and Sammy Davis, Jr.

Tickets: (847) 673-6300.

HEADED TO CITY LIT:

It's called "Dashiell Hamlet" (and no, that is not a typo). This "film noir" version of Shakespeare's play -- created by Chicago theater veterans Mike Nowak, Mike Nussbaum, Kathleen Thompson and Paul H. Thompson, and directed by Nussbaum -- will open City Lit Theatre's 29th season at its home at 1020 W. Bryn Mawr. Set in Los Angeles, circa 1945, it spins the story of a World War II soldier who returns home to find his father, a movie studio scion, may have been murdered. The play (running Sept. 16-Oct. 26), was first staged in 1983 by Chicago's now-defunct Commons Theatre, and was directed by Nussbaum back then, too. Also part of the 2008-2009 City Lit season will be:

--- "The Confession" (Nov. 11-Dec. 14), a new adaptation by Cameron Feagin of Mary Roberts Rinehart's 1917 psychological thriller about a woman's guilt and mental breakdown. Terry McCabe will direct.

--- "Scoundrel Time" (Nov. Feb. 3-March 8), based on Lillian Hellman's 1976 memoir, adapted by McCabe and directed by Adrianne Cury, about the playwright's refusal to "name names" during the House Un-American Acticities Committee hearings of the 1950s.

--- Harold Pinter's "Old Times" and Noel Coward's "Private Lives" running in rotating rep (March 31-May 3). McCabe will direct both these plays about marital and extra-marital relationships.

Tickets: (773) 293-3682.

TUTA PLANS:

For its 2008-2009 season, the internationally-minded TUTA Theatre Company is planning the following:

--- Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" (Nov. 20-Dec. 21 at Chopin Theatre's mainstage, 1543 W. Division), staged by artistic director Zeljko Djukic.

--- A Chicago Russian Theatre Festival featuring: The U.S. premiere of "Playing The Victim" (running Jan. 22-Feb. 23 at a theater tba), a satire by the Presnyakov Brothers that takes the form of a postmodern variety show and includes song, dance, comic character vignettes and more (to be directed by Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble member Yasen Peyankov); and a remount of TUTA's successful production of Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" (May-June at the Chopin Theatre Studio).

For tickets go to: www.tutato.com.

ASIAN DEBUT: A-Squared Theatre Workshop, billed as "Chicago's newest Asian-American theater company," will present the Chicago premiere of Philip Kan Gotanda's "The Wind Cries Mary," Aug. 1-24 at City Lit Theatre, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr. Loosely adapted from Ibsen's classic, "Hedda Gabler," the play is set in San Francisco during the Vietnam War and deals with a woman's struggle to break through her own gender and racial issues. Mia Park, one of the actresses so memorable in "The Intelligent Life of Jenny Chow," will be part of the cast. Tickets: (773) 353-5979.

TRAP DOOR'S 'BANDIT':

Phoolan Devi was an Indian woman of low caste who was many things -- a bandit, a member of Parliament and a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. She also was murdered in 2001. Now, Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W. Cortland, will present a one-woman play about her, running Aug. 7-9. "Phaolan is all of us: In Memory Of Phoolan Devi," is billed as "a one-woman piece of document theater," and will be performed in English and Catalan by actress Angelina Llongueras. Tickets: (773) 384-0494.